NOTORIOUS:  Without getting into the politics, how do we feel about Natalie Portman playing Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

ENDLESS SUMMER: Candance's Sisyphean nightmare finally ends June 12, as it's the last day of vacation for Phineas and Ferb. An entire generation of parents thank you.

AND YOU THOUGHT MR. HOOPER'S DEATH WAS DIFFICULT TO WRITE:  NASA has confirmed that it had reached out to Sesame Street to consider putting Big Bird on the Space Shuttle Challenger.

A BIT SMALLER THAN THE ZOO TV OUTSIDE BROADCAST SET:  U2 is trying to intrude on our friend Paul's turf.

[One long-forgotten memory my brother reminded me of last week: every time the "Where The Streets Have No Name" video came up on MTV, my dad would start shouting at the band, Get off the roof! What are you doing on the roof! like he was one of the police officers.]

WOCKA-WOCKA-PELLA:  The Muppets explain how to sing a cappella. (HT: Sara.)

LET THE TODAY BE WITH YOU:  Dear Obi-Wan, stop being kinda-sorta-racist:

Now that Han and Chewie are up front flying the ship and the droids are in back powering up, I need to talk to you about that thing you said back there about “Sand People.” 

Yeah, not cool. They have a name: They’re called “Tusken Raiders.” “Sand People” is just — I don’t even know what that is. It’s awful, is what it is. I mean, I believe it when you say you lived in a cave the last 20 years — because you act like it. Listen to me: That is a very, VERY offensive term. You cannot go around thinking that that word is okay to say out loud. 

I mean, we’re about to visit royalty on Alderaan. We can’t have some situation where we’re at dinner and the queen asks us, “So, how was the trip?” And you pipe up, “Fine… except for the goddamn Sand People.”...

[HT: Russ. Your own Star Wars ephemera is welcome today.]

YOU MAY BE WALKING ALONE AFTER ALL:  The Muscular Dystrophy Association's Labor Day telethon is no more.  For your unending begging for money needs, might I suggest public radio pledge drives?  (Note:  I love me some public radio, and am a member of my local station.)

PICADILLY CERVIX: Welcome to the world, Royal Baby.